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Pre-Law Opportunities for BIPOC

1. The College Division of the Sonia & Celina Sotomayor Judicial Internship Program supports diverse and underrepresented college students who are committed to bringing their unique voice to the legal field. The Sotomayor Program’s College Division includes (1) an LSAT boot camp to focus the college students on the best law school to which they can gain entry, (2) rigorous academic, professional, and personal programming from legal research and writing to professional branding, wellness coaching, and soft skill trainings, and (3) our signature judicial internship experience to provide practical experience and mentorship opportunities. Our hope is to provide college students with the skills and resources necessary to successfully apply to law school and become a practicing attorney.

The Summer 2021 program, the SCS JIP College program will run for 8 weeks on a full-time basis and include a 4-week judicial internship and a 4-week LSAT Prep program. Click here for Application, Due Feb 17 

2. LSAC PLUS Online offers a unique and unforgettable experience for college students who are interested in the legal profession. This paid four-week summer program is designed to prepare students for law school or a career in the legal profession by helping them to develop essential core competencies needed to succeed in these areas. The LSAC Plus Online program is primarily directed at undergraduate college students from groups that are underrepresented in the legal profession.

The LSAC PLUS Online program will (1) provide participants with a deeper understanding of legal education via the program’s rigorous doctrinal and experiential skills-based curriculum; (2) help participants develop essential core competencies needed to succeed in the law school application and admissions process, as well as insight into navigating the process; and (3) expose students to a wide range of career paths within the legal profession.

All interested students currently enrolled in an accredited undergraduate program are encouraged to apply by March 31 deadline

3. The National Black Law Students Association is a national organization formed to articulate and promote the needs and goals of Black law students to effectuate change in the legal community.

The National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA) partners with Blueprint LSAT Prep to bring the NBLSA pre-law students an opportunity to be awarded with a free LSAT prep course through Blueprint LSAT Prep. The scholarship application will open January 20, 2021 and will close February 20, 2021. Apply here.

4. Immigrant Justice Corps (IJC) identifies promising lawyers and advocates passionate about immigration, places them with legal services and community-based organizations where they can make the greatest difference and supports them with training and expert insights as they directly assist immigrants in need.

Each year IJC awards Community Fellowships to approximately 10 recent college graduates from around the country – individuals with tremendous talent, promise, and a demonstrated commitment to providing legal services for low income people and immigrants. 

IJC trains Community Fellows to become experts in immigration law and pairs them to work within leading non-profit legal services providers and community based organizations. IJC matches selected Fellows with our partnering host organizations based on the applicant’s experience and interest, gaps in services within the community, location interests, and partnering host organizations’ needs. Community Fellows are assisted by IJC in becoming OLAP Accredited Representatives, thereby allowing them to practice as qualified legal representatives before the Department of Homeland Security and to offer legal advice to their clients. 

IJC Fellows serve for two years and are provided with a full salary and benefits.

Applications due 3/24.

  • Applicants may currently be enrolled in an undergraduate degree, so long as they will be graduating by the Spring of the Fellowship start year. For example, if you will graduate in Spring 2021, you are eligible to apply to the Class of 2021.
  • Applicants may have graduated from college either one or two years prior to the start of the Fellowship.

5. SEO Law Fellowship Program

The SEO Law Fellowship Program offers scholarships, academic preparation, career development training and internship opportunities to talented, underrepresented incoming law students. Fellows spend two weeks in New York City receiving hands-on training from legal practitioners and academic instruction from law school professors, before embarking on an 8-week paid internship at a top corporate law firm – all before starting law school. Additionally, fellows receive ongoing academic support throughout their first year and lifetime access to over 14,000 SEO alumni, including over 1,600 attorneys in the SEO Law Alumni Network.

Apply by March 7

To learn more about the SEO Law Fellowship, explore their website and follow on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

6. The Playing Field Project Foundation works to eliminate the socioeconomic barriers to the legal profession. The Project provides financial assistance to low-income BIPOC for LSAT prep services, law school application assistance, and pre-law school prep programs. Apply: https://theplayingfieldproject.org/apply/

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